MFC5092 - Screening American Cultural History: Research & Analysis

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

1) demonstrate understanding of critical, conceptual and methodological issues encountered in using film and television works as a form of historical and cultural representation;
2) Demonstrate effective research skills through the production of a research-based portfolio and extended essay;
3) demonstrate effective critical and analytical skills in the textual and contextual analysis of selected film and television texts;

Content:

The module provides a critical exploration of how film and television texts can be studied as historical and cultural artifacts; how cinematic and dramatic television fiction can be read as a displaced form of cultural history on screen. In this module students will research key historical eras, events and issues relating to American culture and will critically analyse how US film and television texts have, through representation, content and form, provided meaningful cultural/historical discourses on the issues, events and eras screened.

In addition to the content outlined above this module will focus on the development of analytical skills in relation to textual analysis within specific contexts and in particular on the development of key research skills. As well as research into historical eras and events students will research the key cultural issues being “debated” on screen and how these have been represented in American film and television of the period under discussion. With suitable guidance, students on this module will be required to undertake regular research-based tasks and be required to compile and submit a research portfolio for formal assessment.
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Learning and Teaching Information:

The scheme below assumes recruitment of 36.

Lectures
Student contact hours: 20
Intended Group size: 1

Seminars/workshops
Student contact hours: 20
Intended group size: 2x18

Screenings
Student contact hours: up to 15 screenings (30 hours)
Intended group size: 1

Additional assessment information
Students must complete and submit both forms of assessment to be eligible to pass the module.

Students permitted to take a half module for the award of 10 credits will be assessed on the basis of the form of work relevant to the semester of study

Assessment: